Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) Practice Exam

The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) is a professional certification that shows expertise in securing Kubernetes environments. It shows that a person can implement security controls, manage access, and protect containerized applications from threats. This certification is ideal for DevOps engineers, system administrators, and cloud security professionals who want to ensure their Kubernetes clusters are secure and compliant.

Recognized globally, the CKS certification helps professionals stand out in cloud-native security roles. By earning this credential, individuals demonstrate the ability to manage secrets, monitor security policies, and mitigate vulnerabilities in Kubernetes environments. Organizations benefit from certified specialists who can protect sensitive data, prevent security breaches, and maintain the integrity of containerized applications.

Who should take the Exam?

This exam is ideal for:

• DevSecOps Engineers
• Cloud Security Engineers
• Site Reliability Engineers (SREs)
• Kubernetes Administrators
• Security Engineers
• Application Developers with a focus on security

Skills Required

• Linux Fundamentals
• Container Security
• Kubernetes Security
• Network Policies
• RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
• CI/CD Pipeline Security
• Logging and Monitoring

Knowledge Gained

• Cluster Setup and Hardening
• System Hardening
• Microservices Vulnerabilities
• Supply Chain Security
• Runtime Security
• Monitoring and Logging

Course Outline

The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist  CKS Exam covers the following topics - 

Domain 1- Cluster Setup 10%

• Use Network security policies to restrict cluster-level access
• Use CIS benchmark to review the security configuration of Kubernetes components (etcd, kubelet, kubedns, kubeapi) 
• Properly set up Ingress objects with security control 
• Protect node metadata and endpoints 
• Minimize use of, and access to, GUI elements 
• Verify platform binaries before deploying

Domain 2- Cluster Hardening 15%

• Restrict access to Kubernetes API
• Use Role Based Access Controls to minimize exposure
• Exercise caution in using service accounts e.g. disable defaults and minimize permissions on newly created ones 
• Update Kubernetes frequently 

Domain 3- System Hardening 15%

• Minimize host OS footprint (reduce attack surface) 
• Minimize IAM roles 
• Minimize external access to the network 
• Appropriately use kernel hardening tools such as AppArmor, seccomp 
• Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities 20%
• Setup appropriate OS-level security domains e.g. using PSP, OPA, and security contexts 
• Manage Kubernetes secrets 
• Use container runtime sandboxes in multi-tenant environments (e.g. gvisor, kata containers) 
• Implement pod-to-pod encryption by use of mTLS 

Domain 4- Supply Chain Security 20%

• Minimize base image footprint 
• Secure your supply chain: whitelist allowed registries, sign and validate images 
• Use static analysis of user workloads (e.g.Kubernetes resources, Docker files) 
• Scan images for known vulnerabilities 

Domain 5- Monitoring, Logging, and Runtime Security 20%

• Perform behavioral analytics of syscall process and file activities at the host and container level to detect malicious activities 
• Detect threats within a physical infrastructure, apps, networks, data, users, and workloads 
• Detect all phases of attack regardless of where it occurs and how it spreads 
• Perform deep analytical investigation and identification of bad actors within the environment 
• Ensure immutability of containers at runtime 
• Use Audit Logs to monitor access